See the Aphasia Tones rendition of This Land is Your Land, (aphasia awareness lyrics at 2: 10),
courtesy of California State University-East Bay.

It takes a while when we are speaking,
To find the words that we are seeking
It’s called aphasia, but we keep going
This land was made for you and me
Now with aphasia, we may speak differently
Don’t let it phase ya, we’re smart and funny
We are supported, we stand united
This land’s still great for you and me

The choir looks forward to a yearly June concert to
promote National Aphasia Awareness month. “They take
particular pride in knowing that they have been a model
for other aphasia choirs emerging across the country and
world,” Bernstein-Ellis said.

Mahendra appreciates the way the choir has multiplebeneficiaries. “The creation of the choir and its studentclinician co-directors symbolizes the incredible work thatis possible at a university training program where we getto straddle innovation, instruction, clinical service deliveryand scholarship all at once,” she said. “Working with theAphasia Tones as clinicians teaches our students every daythat being a speech-language pathologist is a tremendously“It gives the choir members both a sense of joy thatcomes from making music together as well as a sense ofpersonal accomplishment,” said Bernstein-Ellis. “As onemember said, ‘It was hard work, but it paid off.’”

“They take particular
pride in knowing
that they have been
a model for other
aphasia choirs
emerging across the
country and world.”